Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates split up

Shpilband said that Madison Chock, who took ninth at worlds with Greg Zuerlein (who retired after the season), has had several tryouts with potential partners. There's also the news of another acclaimed team that has split: Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates.

Samuelson and Bates, two-time U.S. medalists and 2010 Olympians who have competed together since 2001, ended their partnership several weeks ago, their coaches said. They didn't compete last season because of Bates' severe Achilles' tendon injury; each is looking for new partners.

I think being in Canton and training with the Shibs , and then the Shibs getting a medal and becoming a stable US n.2 really played its role.Maybe they were thinking that if they split and start fresh they will have more chances.It's sad because they're extremely young...
And I can't help but feeling that couples are pressured to peak too soon, and get results too soon as well.I'm afraid we are going to get ourselves a bunch of 24 year old retired skaters in a couple of years...

Spending ten years of your life just to achieve the unison dancing requires is important.It's not easy, considering how dance is right now and with the depth of the field that they will have the same results with a season's training.

The US is practically left without a top 10 third team right now.I don't know a lot about the $$ dancers spend and if they get federation support though.I think in some other countries (eg.Russia,France? ) the federation pays for most of the expenses...Again maybe I'm wrong.I'm not that much into bills.

it's official - i simply cannot keep up with all the partner break-ups and coaching changes of this off-season.

This one makes me sad, i'll miss this team. I do hope Emily finds a partner.

I can't imagine how difficult it will be for new teams with high caliber skaters to adjust to going back to square one. I'm sure other teams have split and re-partnered and done so, but I confess I haven't paid too much attention to pairs or dance in this regard over the years. Now it seems like suddenly a huge chunk of the US and Canadian top teams are splitting up and re-pairing - so what are the prospects for new teams to get, say, top tier ready (I mean, how many seasons do you think it would take)? What does all this mean for GP assignments? or nationals (will new teams have to go to sectionals if they don't get GP assignments)? My head is spinning - sorry in advance if these questions have been asked and answered to death with other break up threads.

This reminds me of the end of summer camp, when the budding romances all fizzle. At any rate, I thought Emily and Evan were slated for Lake Placid. I guess not. Best of luck to both. Of course, Pasha Grischuk and Yevgeny Platov split up for a few months before the 1993 season, and look at what happened with them.

1. Not practically. Is. No way the third American team gets top ten. Then again,

2. Most of these teams have spent that decade training together already, alithia. I'm not quite sure what your second point means.

3. Alitha, both partners have said they're looking for new partners. How does that mesh with your thesis (that the success of the Shibs, firmly ensconsing them as the 2nd dance team, has triggered other teams to split.... and lets be fair, I totally think Greg Zuerlein genuinely retired because he wanted to pursue other things that aren't skating)